08-10-2011, 11:11 AM
Green_Elite_Cab Wrote:Poor word choice sinks ships!
I did not say the locomotive couldn't go on or cross the apron, only that in some situations it is undesirable for it to do so.
When that GP9 was loading its initial cut of loaded boxcars, it was using idlers for a reason. The barge was otherwise empty, and if you concentrated the weight of the locomotive and those 4 loaded boxcars onto the one side of the barge, that would put it in the position to twist excessively to "port". The barge probably would not tip over, but excessive twisting could very well damage the toggles and other Apron/barge equipment. I've heard first person accounts of horror stories where the toggles or parts of the apron get bent out of shape and jammed together. Its a nightmare to fix and it puts a quick end to operations. True, this might be more of an issue with floating aprons, rather than ones supported by a gantry like the one in the picture and your model, but its still a legitimate concern.
Once those box cars are loaded, the barge is going to to sit lower in the water and become more stable. At that point, a locomotive going onto the other track on the barge probably wouldn't be a big deal. If anything, the barge is going to straighten out a bit. Its only in situations where the weight of the locomotive and cars would be to much (as is the case when initially loading the barge as seen in the first picture).
I should have realized that!
Excellent observation and of course the way you describe it, it makes perfect sense. I tell you guys, this is really helping me realize the variety of operating potential switching the float alone is going to give me.
I was tooling around a bit last night and observed that pulling an 8 car train off the float and putting it into the yard is quite the feat in itself. In order for the entire train to clear the turnout at the top of the ladder I had to back it up all the way around "the bend" and past the Engine House stopping just before the turnout that will access the Engine House area. At yard speeds this took what I would call a considerable amount of time which is good as far as I am concerned. I want to relax and enjoy some time on the layout, not be done in fifteen minutes!
